Sustained Reaction Time Measurement and Motion Analysis in Patients with Cognitive Dysfunction

<p>　Patients with higher brain dysfunction without motor paralysis are often judged to have no problems with physical function and may have no significant difficulties in daily life during hospitalisation.　Problems may become apparent after discharge from hospital or return to work, especially poor applied activities such as driving a car.　However, the motor characteristics of people with higher brain dysfunction during movement tasks have not been fully clarified, and it is important to assess both the quantitative and the qualitative aspects of movement for work, applied movement and driving.　The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between reaction time variability and attention function.　In addition, we analyzed the motion of the lower limb reaction during measurement for examine the motion characteristics.　We enrolled 23 individuals with cognitive dysfunction （CD group） and 56 healthy volunteers （control group）.　Using the reaction measuring device, the time required to lift the right lower limb in response to a light stimulus was measured 20 times in a row.　Therefore, we analyzed the height and acceleration in the vertical direction using a three-dimensional motion analysis system for the reaction of the right lower limb during measurement, as well as the relationship between the reaction time and the Trail Making Test （TMT）.　There was a significant difference in mean reaction time between the two groups, and the CD group showed lower consistency.　The mean reaction time and TMT showed significantly positive correlation.　These results suggest that the reaction time continuously could be one of the tools to evaluate the attention function necessary for the activities of daily living using the lower limbs.　The motion analyses showed their inefficient motion and lower learning effect.　Further studies are necessary to develop accurate criteria using a simple evaluation battery for resuming rehabilitation in individuals with cognitive dysfunction.</p>